75 fatalities and counting: Law enforcement officials stress driver safety ahead of 100 Deadliest Days (2024)

BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in theIdaho Press.

Ten years ago, Tom Defur’s 4-year-old daughter was killed when the family got into a car accident with a young, distracted driver in July. The incident sparked Defur’s passion for traffic safety. He got emotional as he told his story in front of a small crowd gathered outside the Boise Towne Square Mall on Friday.

“My advice to parents of young drivers is don’t allow the car to be your child’s babysitter. Allow them to understand it’s not a toy,” Defur, who’s an officer for the Caldwell Police Department, said. “My advice to other drivers who aren’t young and inexperienced, driving is a privilege. It’s not a right.”

The event Defur spoke at was held in an effort to raise awareness of the 100 deadliest days on Idaho roads and promote driver safety. It was put on by officials from the Boise Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, AAA, Boise Towne Square Mall and the Idaho Transportation Department.

So far this year, there have been 75 fatalities on Idaho roads, according to Josephine Middleton, Office of Highway Safety manager for the Idaho Transportation Department. This is 21 more fatalities than a year ago at this time. Eleven of those fatalities occurred in the past two weeks.

Driving on better roads that aren’t impacted by winter weather doesn’t always lead to less accidents or fewer fatalities. In fact, it tends to be the opposite, according to Cpl. Kyle Wills of BPD.

The months of June, July and August consistently share the most driving fatalities each year.

“When the roads are ice-covered and slick, we tend to be a little more cautious and paying a little more attention,” Wills said. “Whereas in the summer, we don’t see that, people tend to relax a little bit more. They’re kind of more carefree, if you will, and enjoying the outside.”

This carefree attitude can lend itself to more distracted and aggressive driving. Aggressive driving isn’t always road rage — it can be as simple as speeding or running a stop sign, Wills said.

“We need to make sure that we buckle up, slow down, put down the distractions, drive sober and be engaged in our driving while we stay cool, regardless of how hot the temperature gets this summer,” Wills said.

More people on the roads in the summer months can lead to higher chances of people cutting other people off in traffic. When this happens, Wills said it’s important for the other driver to keep their cool, especially if they know they have a tendency to get irritated, because road rage can quickly get out of hand. Drivers can do this by planning ahead and choosing what Wills calls “the Idaho way.”

“I just plan if this car in front of me cuts me off, how am I going to respond?” Wills said. “Am I going to respond through anger or through my driving? Or am I just going to go with what I call the Idaho way and just wave at them — of course with all five fingers … and hope that next time they don’t cut the next car off?”

He said drivers need to actively choose to be friendly and courteous drivers on the roads, no matter what the other drivers around them are doing.

Middleton also stressed the importance of wearing seat belts.

“We know that right now we are at 87% usage rate. However, almost 50% of people who are dying in our crashes are not wearing a seat belt,” she said.

As part of the group’s efforts to raise awareness, a car that was involved in an aggressive driving incident will be parked outside the mall from now until Memorial Day.

The 2003 Chevy Cavalier was involved in a single-vehicle crash while traveling on the connector in Boise at a high rate of speed. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it went into the center median wall.

“My hope is, and my prayer is today that this education component will work and convince someone to drive slower, to put their seat belt on and to not be aggressive that ordinarily does drive that way or doesn’t put their seatbelt on,” BPD Chief Ron Winegar said.

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